hole
population in a few hours, no one knows how. Many years ago the favourite
phrase (for, though but a monosyllable, it was a phrase in itself) was
Quoz. This odd word took the fancy of the multitude in an extraordinary
degree, and very soon acquired an almost boundless meaning. When vulgar
wit wished to mark its incredulity, and raise a laugh at the same time,
there was no resource so sure as this popular piece of slang. When a man
was asked a favour which he did not choose to grant, he marked his sense
of the suitor's unparalleled presumption by exclaiming _Quoz_! When a
mischievous urchin wished to annoy a passenger, and create mirth for his
comrades, he looked him in the face, and cried out _Quoz!_ and the
exclamation never failed in its object. When a disputant was desirous of
throwing a doubt upon the veracity of his opponent, and getting summarily
rid of an argument which he could not overturn, he uttered the word
_Quoz_, with a contemptuous curl of his lip, and an impatient shrug of his
shoulders. The universal monosyllable conveyed all his meaning, and not
only told his opponent that he lied, but that he erred egregiously if he
thought that any one was such a nincompoop as to believe him. Every
alehouse resounded with _Quoz_; every street-corner was noisy with it, and
every wall for miles around was chalked with it.

But, like all other earthly things, _Quoz_ had its season, and passed away
as suddenly as it arose, never again to be the pet and the idol of the
populace. A new claimant drove it from its place, and held undisputed sway
till, in its turn, it was hurled from its pre-eminence, and a successor
appointed in its stead.

"_What a shocking bad hat!_" was the phrase that was next in vogue. No
sooner had it become universal, than thousands of idle but sharp eyes were
on the watch for the passenger whose hat shewed any signs, however slight,
of ancient service. Immediately the cry arose, and, like the war-whoop of
the Indians, was repeated by a hundred discordant throats. He was a wise
man who, finding himself under these circumstances "the observed of all
observers," bore his honours meekly. He who shewed symptoms of ill-feeling
at the imputations cast upon his hat, only brought upon himself redoubled
notice. The mob soon perceive whether a man is irritable, and, if of their
own class, they love to make sport of him. When such a man, and with such
a hat, passed in those days through a crowded neighbourho